Touchpad, light-up top, new analog sticks, and more shown in multiple images.

Multiple sources are now independently reporting that pictures of a heavily modified DualShock controller featuring a touchpad and topside light are actual images of the controller for Sony's next PlayStation.

The shots show what would be the first major aesthetic redesign for Sony's standard controller since the DualShock was first introduced for the original PlayStation in 1997. The central area where the Start and Select buttons used to sit has been replaced in the photos with a large touchpad area, similar to the one on the rear of the Vita. Some reports indicate this touchpad can be clicked for a bit of tactile feedback.

One of the shots of the controller also shows a lit-up blue LED section on the top of the controller, facing toward the TV screen. While this could merely be decorative, many are assuming the light will integrate with a new version of the PlayStation's EyeToy camera to provide Move-style position and orientation tracking for the standard controller. A Sony patent filing that surfaced late last year showed a DualShock controller equipped with two Move-style, light-up "balls" on top. That patent also showed a controller that could be split into two separate handheld units, though there's no indication of this in the current shots.

The rounded convex of the DualShock analog sticks has been replaced in the photos with new thumbsticks featuring a slight concave divot (similar to the Xbox 360 gamepad) which might allow for better grip. The digital directional pad has also been redesigned slightly to eliminate the gap in the center of the four directions (similar to the Vita d-pad), a design which could allow for easier rotational movement in fighting games and the like. There's also what appears to be a speaker grating underneath the touch pad area and a headphone port on the bottom of the controller, possibly indicating a Wii remote-like ability to transmit sound from the controller itself (and an Xbox 360-like ability to plug a headset directly into the wireless controller).

Note the lit-up blue top, which could provide Move-style position tracking.

It's hard to see from current photos if there have been any changes to the shoulder buttons, but a VG247 report earlier this week claimed that the secondary L2 and R2 buttons have been remodeled for the new controller. The standard design of the four face buttons seems unchanged, at least.

The leaked shots show no sign of the "Share" button that some reports have indicated would allow players to easily share videos and screenshots from a running recording of the last 15 minutes of gameplay. This feature could still exist in software, however, even if there's no dedicated button on the controller.

Though exact dimensions are hard to tell from the images posted, the new controller appears to be a little wider than the standard DualShock design, primarily owing to the elongated touchpad in the central section. The full unit also seem a little thicker than the original DualShock, especially on the two grips that extend down from the sides.

Even if these images are of real hardware, the final consumer design might be slightly different from the prototypes that early developers have been given to test. In any case, we'll likely know more next Wednesday, when Sony appears set to reveal more details about its next console at the PlayStation Meeting.

Kyle, no opinions or analysis? Facts are good and all, but would love to hear your thought. Thanks.

Hard to analyze without actually seeing and/or touching it in person. Just based on the pics, though, the touch pad looks kind of too small to be very usable. I think keeping track of 3-space controller position through Move could lead to some interesting hybrid uses, and the new analog sticks look cool.

I like it. I don't give a rip about the motion tracking since I wasn't a huge fan of the PS Move, but the screen is nice while not being overly huge. I like the Wii U controller for games that use it well, but it's a pain for games that don't. I love the thumb sticks; Sony has had, in my opinion, the worst analog sticks for two generations now with their eraser head surfaces, and this looks like a huge step in the right direction. I will admit that I like the Xbox's D-pad/analog stick layout better, but this looks like it may fix many of the complaints that I have about Playstation controllers.

Part of me was thinking they might announce that the controllers would be Vita like, to the point where you can use the Vita as a second controller, thus giving people the desire to buy one and motivating developers to design games that can be cross-play etc... I mean I get that it was unlikely but I did not think it beyond reason given how much money Sony likely still needs to recoup from Vita R&D. Plus you can mimic the WiiU tablet design. Terrible Idea? Anyone?

There isn't much to say that isn't a retread of whats already been spoken (layout, buttons, etc) except...

Did anyone notice from the second shot it looks like the back of the controller is fatter now? Also, the two nubs that have been so uncomfortable on prior PS controllers look more smoothed and rounded here. While the fatter controller back seems like it would make it more awkward to rest ones fingers, I'm mostly just interested because of the smoother, more ergonomic controller. PS controllers have long been the worst possible controller for sheer comfort and awkward layout, mostly because it appeared that no one at Sony had a handle of comfortable ergonomics, but the look of this makes me think that might be changing.

About time. Compared to alternatives, they've long been lagging behind with that early 90s design.

I wish they would design a controller where you don't have to remove your thumbs from the analog sticks in order to tap the four main buttons. It's annoying when playing a game online and brief button presses like reload or jump can cause loss of control. I'm not sure how this would work but half of your fingers are basically unused just holding the thing.

There isn't much to say that isn't a retread of whats already been spoken (layout, buttons, etc) except...

Did anyone notice from the second shot it looks like the back of the controller is fatter now? Also, the two nubs that have been so uncomfortable on prior PS controllers look more smoothed and rounded here. While the fatter controller back seems like it would make it more awkward to rest ones fingers, I'm mostly just interested because of the smoother, more ergonomic controller. PS controllers have long been the worst possible controller for sheer comfort and awkward layout, mostly because it appeared that no one at Sony had a handle of comfortable ergonomics, but the look of this makes me think that might be changing.

About time. Compared to alternatives, they've long been lagging behind with that early 90s design.

The gamecube/wavebird controller was the pinnacle of comfort in a controller.

To those who are angrily downvoting any criticism of this design, there are some legitimate design issues with the Dualshock controller. If you grab one, where does your left thumb naturally fall? On the D-pad. That's precisely why it was placed there on the original PS1 controller.

However, when adding the analog sticks, Sony decided to leave the D-pad in the primary control position. Sure, this made sense when the analog sticks where more of a supplement to the D-pad than a replacement. However, now that analog sticks are the de-facto standard control elements, why are they not placed in that primary control position?

Muscle memory? Smaller learning curve for existing PS gamers? Who knows. Regardless, the first Playstation was released in 1994, and it's hard to look at the controllers for the PS1 and PS4 and see almost 20 years of design improvements.

To those who are angrily downvoting any criticism of this design, there are some legitimate design issues with the Dualshock controller. If you grab one, where does your left thumb naturally fall? On the D-pad. That's precisely why it was placed there on the original PS1 controller.

Personally, I find that my thumb comes to rest on the d-pad only when my fingers are on the bottom of the controller. When I have fingers ready for the L1/L2 buttons, the analog stick feels more natural.

I'd be very happy if they retain the current design, but as I said before - different strokes for different folks.

I wish they would design a controller where you don't have to remove your thumbs from the analog sticks in order to tap the four main buttons. It's annoying when playing a game online and brief button presses like reload or jump can cause loss of control. I'm not sure how this would work but half of your fingers are basically unused just holding the thing.

I like it. The slimmer one up top (which is the newer shot) looks much better than the chunkier one at the bottom of this article, looks like they slimed down the hand grips or something, it just looks better. Maybe it's just the angle. I still prefer the 360s joystick placement, but I guess we can't hope for Sony to adopt it since they are so entrenched in Dualshock legacy. I hope they improved the trigger shape. The joystick pads look much better, they always slipped off my thumbs on the PS3/DS3, I like the concave 360 shape better and this new one seems like the best hybrid.

The Touchpad and the Move color blob on top are interesting, not as crazy as the Wii U pad but that's good IMHO, more of the cost will go towards the internals.

Overall seems like a very positive change.

I wonder what Microsoft will do, if they will change it, or just let Kinect 2.0 be their input innovation for this gen while leaving the controllers alone. I guess a small touch pad like this wouldn't hurt it, but there isn't a whole lot else I would change about it.

As a PS3 owner this concerns me because the PS3 Dualshock's battery life is pretty garbage. Making the controller even more complicated is just going to make it worse.

I'd much rather have a simple controller with a battery that lasts ages than a complicated one I have to charge every time I wanna play a game.

The Wii U Pro controller can get 80 hours, that's pretty nuts, so efficiency must have gone up a lot in the last 7 years. Even with all this new stuff thrown in maybe the battery life will be better, you can't really say just from the number of features.

Kyle Orland / Kyle is the Senior Gaming Editor at Ars Technica, specializing in video game hardware and software. He has journalism and computer science degrees from University of Maryland. He is based in Pittsburgh, PA.